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Where should I go next fall? / Re: Why isn't Southwestern ranked better?
« on: April 17, 2008, 01:34:02 AM »
I had a long discussion with a good friend about this, here's what i found. Hope it helps.
One of few reasons why Southwestern has gone down in ranking is due to their employment rate after 9 months, which is at 85%. I heard that their new dean said part of the reason why it went down is due to his refusal to take part in these agreements between law school deans, where one dean agrees to give the other school the highest evaluation in exchance for the same. Those local schools not participating in that agreement would receive the lowest possible evaluation. Pepperdine is notorious for this. In addition, he also stated that some law schools employ their students at their own library at the nine month mark after graduation in order to increase the percentage of those employed, thus providing US NEWS with a good statistic. Moreover, some schools throw away surveys completed by their alumni if the school finds them unfavorable. Thier new dean, as opposed to their old, has refused to take part of this US NEWS game that Pepperdine has mastered. Instead, they are focusing more in hiring new faculty, establishing two new clinics and improving their image in the legal community.
They have the 2nd largest alumni base in the Southern California region (as they are the 2nd oldest school in L.A.)--which helps a lot of their students land jobs. Their salary statistics are comparable to LLS and Pepperdine, as well.
Good luck
One of few reasons why Southwestern has gone down in ranking is due to their employment rate after 9 months, which is at 85%. I heard that their new dean said part of the reason why it went down is due to his refusal to take part in these agreements between law school deans, where one dean agrees to give the other school the highest evaluation in exchance for the same. Those local schools not participating in that agreement would receive the lowest possible evaluation. Pepperdine is notorious for this. In addition, he also stated that some law schools employ their students at their own library at the nine month mark after graduation in order to increase the percentage of those employed, thus providing US NEWS with a good statistic. Moreover, some schools throw away surveys completed by their alumni if the school finds them unfavorable. Thier new dean, as opposed to their old, has refused to take part of this US NEWS game that Pepperdine has mastered. Instead, they are focusing more in hiring new faculty, establishing two new clinics and improving their image in the legal community.
They have the 2nd largest alumni base in the Southern California region (as they are the 2nd oldest school in L.A.)--which helps a lot of their students land jobs. Their salary statistics are comparable to LLS and Pepperdine, as well.
Good luck